Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the review of ambulance control rooms to be concluded.

Susan Deacon: An Outline Business Case covering the Scottish Ambulance Service’s recommendations has been received and is being considered by officials in the Health Department. It is anticipated that a decision on whether the service may proceed to develop a Full Business Case will be taken before the end of July.

Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest position is regarding toxin testing of scallops.

Susan Deacon: Responsibility for sampling and monitoring scallops for toxins transferred to the Food Standards Agency in April 2000. From April this year the agency began publishing results for whole animal tests as well as the roe. However, in common with previous years, action continues to be assessed on the basis of the test result from the gonad, though where toxin levels in the whole animal test exceed EU action levels, fishermen are being advised not to market whole animals from affected areas. On the proposals to move to a tiered system, the FSA advise me that a Scottish consultation letter is expected to be issued in the next few weeks.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether updated information on the use of anti-social behaviour orders is now available and what procedures are in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of such orders.

Iain Gray: The Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland has been commissioned by the Executive to undertake an annual exercise to determine the use being made of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs). In the period from 1 April 1999, when ASBOs came into force, to 1 December 1999 some 15 ASBOs had been applied for, nine of which had been granted and two breached.

  Figures for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000 are due to be published by the institute shortly. A copy will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Arts

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14933 by Allan Wilson on 26 April 2001, whether the Deputy Minister for Sport, the Arts and Culture has (a) received and (b) accepted any invitations to meet representatives of Scottish Ballet, other than at performances, since his appointment.

Allan Wilson: I have received no other invitations.

Central Heating

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it intends to provide to pensioners in local authority houses in the Lothians which have old or partial central heating systems.

Jackie Baillie: Local authorities receive capital allocations from the Scottish Executive to enable them to repair and improve their own stock, including work in respect of old or partial central heating systems. The Scottish Executive Central Heating Programme is additional to this existing resource and is targeted at those properties which have no form of central heating.

Childcare

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children currently benefit from out-of-school care places and what the projected number is for next year.

Mr Nicol Stephen: Almost 13,900 children attended out-of-school care clubs in 1997. In addition, in the same year, over 7,300 children attended playschemes providing a range of activities during the school holidays. These are the latest available figures from the national survey of daycare. Given the enhanced profile of childcare, the Executive is now closely monitoring numbers. A new integrated Census of Children’s Daycare and Pre-School Education Centres will later this year update statistics in this area, and will be repeated annually.

  But we know that the numbers will have increased substantially since 1999 with the introduction of funding from the New Opportunities Fund (the fund) for new out-of-school places. It is estimated that awards from the fund have already created places for around 24,000 children. Further awards will be made until 2006 under the current and new programmes.

  A number of the latest plans produced by Childcare Partnerships include targets for growth in out-of-school care services.

Crime

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, what effect CCTV systems in Renfrewshire have had on levels of street crime in each of the last two years.

Iain Gray: Information from Strathclyde Police for 2000 shows that CCTV systems covering Paisley, Johnstone and Renfrew Town Centres recorded 672 incidents, resulting in 801 arrests or detections. Figures for the period January to March 2001 already show 154 incidents recorded and 197 arrests or detections.

Deaf People

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alleviate social exclusion among deaf people.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is committed to promoting social inclusion and equality of opportunity for all the people of Scotland. The Equality Strategy published last year, set out our plans for mainstreaming equality into policy development and service delivery. It includes plans for raising awareness and promoting best practice. We have established a Framework Group to develop standards for translation, interpreting and communication support across the public sector. In addition, a British Sign Language and Linguistic Access Working Group has been established to develop a strategic approach to BSL issues.

Deaf People

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to improve general practitioner and hospital services for deaf people, and in particular to address any problems in relation to deaf and hard of hearing people leaving appointments unsure of what is wrong with them due to a lack of visual communication and interpretation facilities.

Susan Deacon: The Executive is committed to ensuring that all patients are enabled to be full partners in making decisions about their own care. NHS boards and Trusts are expected to ensure that arrangements are in place to meet the communication needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

  Guidance, which included sections to raise awareness of the communication needs of deaf and hard of hearing patients, including the use of interpreters, was issued to the NHS in 1999. A training video about the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people using hospital services was issued with the guidance.

  Standards developed by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland are designed to ensure that all patients are provided with a clear explanation of, and relevant information on their condition and any treatment, investigation or procedure proposed, including risks and alternatives. A national review of the local delivery of these generic standards is now under way.

  More generally, as part of work on the Executive’s Equality Strategy, a Framework Group has been established to develop standards for translation, interpreting and communication support across the public sector, this includes the needs of those who are deaf and hard of hearing. In addition, a British Sign Language and Linguistic Access Working Group has been established to develop a strategic approach to BSL issues.

Deaf People

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to encourage the employment of deaf and hard of hearing people in public services.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive’s recruitment policy complies with the UK Government’s Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and does not discriminate against disabled people when they are applying for a job or are in employment. This includes those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Executive, in common with a number of public sector employers in Scotland, is also an ES Disability Symbol User and encourages applications from disabled people.

Disabled People

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has undertaken in respect of section 37 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Peter Peacock: A joint informal consultation paper Disability Discrimination Act 1995: The Government’s Proposals for Taxis was issued in July 1997.

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Executive plans to reduce dependency on benzodiazepines.

Henry McLeish: The risks of dependency and withdrawal, following long-term use of benzodiazepines, are well known to the medical profession. Medical practitioners have been given comprehensive guidance on how to prescribe these drugs safely and effectively

  People who may have developed dependency problems can obtain help from a wide range of medical, psychiatric and community services. Where benzodiazepines are used in conjunction with illegal drugs, these services will benefit significantly from the additional £100 million which the Executive has allocated to counter drug misuse.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to standardise the dates of Easter school holidays throughout Scotland.

Mr Jack McConnell: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-15194 on 11 May 2001.

Elections

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward guidance to prevent electoral returning officers from appearing in press photographs featuring only one of the candidates in a forthcoming election, or acting in any other way which could be seen to promote an election candidate.

Angus MacKay: Arrangements relating to UK, European and Scottish Parliamentary elections are all reserved matters, while arrangements relating to local government elections are devolved matters. The Executive is not aware of any cases which suggest that Returning Officers act in an improper fashion when performing their electoral functions. Accordingly, the Executive does not at present see any need to issue specific guidance to Returning Officers in relation to local government elections.

Excellence Fund

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will finalise the distribution of any Excellence Fund Core Programme and Special Programme monies for 2000-2001 that have not yet been allocated.

Mr Jack McConnell: £13.45 million remained unallocated in the Excellence Fund for financial year 2000-01, the majority of which was originally planned for initiatives linked to the new system of pay and conditions for teachers. All of this money will now be used to help with the introduction of that new system over the next three years.

Ferry Services

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when alternative operators for the Invergordon-Kirkwall and Campbeltown-Ballycastle ferry routes will be procured following the withdrawal of the current operator; what procurement process will be followed in appointing new operators, and how it will ensure that there is no interruption to the provision of services on these routes.

Sarah Boyack: In relation to the Invergordon-Kirkwall aspect of the question, the Scottish Executive provides support under the Tariff Rebate Subsidy (TRS) scheme to reduce the costs of imports to the islands and mainland seaboard areas of the Highlands and Islands and to promote exports from these areas. The Scottish Executive has recognised the contribution of the Kirkwall-Invergordon route for the export of livestock from Orkney and £200,000 was allocated to the route under the TRS scheme during 2000-01. The Executive confirmed in discussions with the operator and Orkney Islands Council before the service was withdrawn that a TRS allocation continued to be available for 2001-02, at the same assistance rate of 50% of shipping costs. This assistance will now be available to alternative operators.

  The Executive continues to liaise with the Islands Council and other operators on options for providing sufficient capacity for the export of livestock from Orkney on this or alternative routes.

  In the case of Campbeltown-Ballycastle, Sea Containers Ltd operated a summer season-only service on this route between 1997 and 1999 but the company decided early in 2000 not to continue with its operation due to mounting losses. As this route extends beyond Scotland the imposition of a PSO is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive is in discussion with the Scotland Office on options for progress.

Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount is of capital resources provided through all Private Finance Initiative and Public/Private Partnership projects and what the average rate of interest paid to all lenders for the provision of that capital is.

Angus MacKay: The total estimated capital value of Private Finance Initiative projects at signed and preferred bidder stage in cash terms is shown in the attached tables. An average rate of interest paid to all lenders for the provision of capital is not held centrally. Individual interest rates are matters of commercial confidentiality.

  Table 1: Departmental Estimate of Capital Spending by the Private Sector (Signed Deals)

  

 

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  

2002-03 
  

2003-04 
  


 

£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  



FE/HE 
  

10.1 
  
 
 
 



Health 
  

100 
  

100 
  

50 
  

9 
  



Water & Sewerage 
  

294.3 
  

72.7 
  

5.8 
  

7.5 
  



Scottish Executive, NDPBs & Nationalised Industries 
  

404.4 
  

172.7 
  

55.8 
  

16.5 
  



Local Authorities 
  

135.3 
  

116 
  

22.2 
  

3.6 
  



Scotland 
  

539.7 
  

288.7 
  

78 
  

20.1 
  



  Table 2: Estimated Capital Value of Projects at preferred Bidder

  

 

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  

2002-03 
  

2003-04 
  


 

£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  



Water & Sewerage 
  

7.8 
  

34.1 
  
 
 



Scottish Executive, NDPBs & Nationalised Industries 
  

7.8 
  

34.1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Local Authorities 
  

11.4 
  

47 
  

11.1 
  

0 
  



Scotland 
  

19.2 
  

81.1 
  

11.1 
  

0

Flood Prevention

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12921 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 13 February 2001, what additional flood prevention schemes have been confirmed by Scottish Ministers since 13 February 2001 and what additional requests have been submitted since then and are currently under consideration.

Rhona Brankin: The River Kelvin (Glazertbank, Lennoxtown) Flood Prevention Scheme, allowing for a small alteration to the existing River Kelvin Scheme, has been confirmed by ministers in the period since 13 February 2001.

  The Executive has not received any further requests for confirmation of schemes in this period. Two schemes, to allow changes to the Perth Flood Prevention Scheme, are presently being considered. Further information is awaited from the council before these schemes can be taken further.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15096 by Ross Finnie on 26 April 2001, whether any of the vehicles which are believed to have acted as transmitters of the foot-and-mouth virus were lorries hired on the instruction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food through the Freight Transport Association and whether it will specify which vehicles were responsible for particular outbreaks.

Ross Finnie: There is no evidence to suggest that lorries hired on the instruction of MAFF through the Freight Transport Association have acted as transmitters of the foot-and-mouth virus. The vehicle movements mentioned in the answer to question S1W-15096 refer to farmer vehicles.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) sheep, (b) cattle and (c) pigs there were in Scotland immediately prior to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease; how many of each it estimates there are currently; how many of each it estimates there will be once the outbreak is over, according to current predictions on the likely course of the outbreak, and what percentage of the number of each that there was immediately prior to the outbreak will survive it.

Ross Finnie: Only historical census figures and the numbers of animals culled to date are available. These are shown in the table below. It is impossible to predict how many will eventually be culled. The focus of our strategy is to restrict advancement of the disease, hence restricting further culling.

  

 

June 2000 Census (Main & Minor Holdings) 
  

December 2000 Census (Main Holdings Only) 
  

FMD Cull as at 8 May 2001 
  



Cattle 
  

2,027,956 
  

1,958,243 
  

87,019 
  



Sheep 
  

9,183,847 
  

6,213,012 
  

634,225 
  



Pigs 
  

558,082 
  

515,739 
  

943

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether adequate legal and procedural safeguards are in place to prevent any illegal importation of meat and, in particular, whether more strict checking procedures are required at ports and airports and whether it has any plans to conduct any review of such safeguards.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15399 on 10 May 2001.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is having on rural businesses in "at risk" areas such as Ayrshire.

Ross Finnie: In March I announced the establishment of an Impact Assessment Group to inform the Executive about the effect which the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is having across all areas and sectors. To date the majority of the assessment has been qualitative and has helped to inform the work of the Ministerial Group on FMD in its decisions on hardship relief and thinking about recovery. The Impact Assessment Group recently commissioned a survey of businesses to provide greater quantification of impact. The survey is based around Local Enterprise Company areas such as Ayrshire and the results will be shared with local organisations. I look forward to seeing the results in the near future.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving rural businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in "at risk" areas such as Ayrshire.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the support being given to rural businesses in areas affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak to those in "at risk" areas such as Ayrshire.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Support is available to rural businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak through the Small Business Gateway which has a number of outlets in Ayrshire. The Gateway is the focal point for the provision of information and advice. Direct access to business advisers will also be available to provide advice on cashflow, debt management, alternative markets and survival. The business rate hardship package extends to South, East and North Ayrshire.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14980 by Ross Finnie on 26 April 2001, why it took until 6 April and 10 April 2001 for the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme to come into operation following announcement of the scheme on 22 March 2001.

Ross Finnie: I am advised by the Intervention Board Executive Agency, who operate the scheme on behalf of GB Agriculture Departments, that Matheson Jess, Brechin were unable to commence slaughter under the LWDS prior to 6 April as confirmation was awaited that the onsite incineration plant had obtained the necessary Scottish Environmental Protection Agency authorisation to process LWDS material. At the time there was no other disposal route in Scotland available as the renderers were processing foot and mouth contiguous cull material and had no spare capacity for LWDS material.

  G D Vivers & Son were unable to slaughter under the LWDS prior to 10 April, because they were dealing with foot and mouth contiguous cull animals.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament on 26 April 2001 by the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, whether it proposes any further relaxation in foot-and-mouth disease movement controls.

Ross Finnie: The foot-and-mouth disease situation in Scotland continues to improve and up to midnight last night only five cases of the disease have been reported this month. While continued vigilance is necessary, I have decided to authorise the following relaxations in animal movement and other controls.

  Provisionally Free Area

  - Veterinary certification will no longer be required for longer distance movements.

  - Collection Centres which, on the mainland, are approved to deal in fatstock only, will now be permitted to cover store stock. This will bring the mainland PFA into line with existing arrangements on the islands.

  - Cattle will be permitted to move direct to slaughter from the ARA into the PFA. These movements will be subject to strict veterinary and other controls.

  At Risk Areas

  - Longer Distance Movements will be permitted in the areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Borders outwith Infected Areas, so extending existing ARA rules to these districts.

  - The need for supervision of Longer Distance Movements will be dispensed with and replaced by a system of spot checks.

  - Deer Stalking will also now be permitted in Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders with the exception of those parts which fall within the Infected Areas.

  - Collection Centres will be approved to deal with fat and store stock.

  Infected Areas

  - The road network has been used as the means of delineating the Infected Areas. This has encompassed farms which fall outwith the regulatory 10km Surveillance Zones. Officials are looking at ways in which the areas might be redefined to release farms on the South Ayrshire/Galloway border and to the north of the Moffat Surveillance Zone.

  - Outwith the 3km protection zones, local and occupational licences will be granted without any need to demonstrate a welfare requirement. Trading will be permitted under these arrangements. In exceptional circumstances, longer movements within the Infected Areas can now be authorised by the Divisional Veterinary Manager in order to resolve any particularly serious welfare problem.

  - Animals from the PFA and ARA will also be allowed to move into the Infected Area. This will cover the movement of bulls and the return of over-wintered hoggs, for example. Vehicles carrying these animals will be cleansed and disinfected at an official C&D Centre prior to returning to the ARA/PFA. Once the animals enter the Infected Area they will not be permitted to move outside it.

  - I am aware that there are substantial numbers of finished cattle which the Scottish meat trade would like authorisation to have moved from the Infected Areas for slaughter in the ARA. I am sympathetic to their case which is still being considered. There are, however, legislative and other considerations which will need to be weighed carefully in the balance before I decide whether this can be permitted.

Football

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received about a new stadium for Falkirk Football Club.

Lewis Macdonald: Representations have been received from nine individuals; six were in favour of the proposed new stadium and three opposed it. Of the total, six representations were made within the timescale of the Falkirk Structure Plan consultation period (five for; one against), and three were outwith the consultation period (one for; two against).

Hospitals

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11746 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 March 2001, whether it plans to make hospital-acquired infections a notifiable cause of death.

Susan Deacon: The recording of the cause of death is a matter for the certifying doctor with guidance from the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS). In coding causes of death for statistical purposes, GROS uses the World Health Organisation’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (Tenth Revision) known as ICD 10. The ICD codes are based on medical conditions and not on where the patient obtained the illness. As such, there is not a specific ICD 10 code for hospital-acquired infection (HAI) and I am not aware of any plans to expand classification of causes of death to include HAI.

  There are, in any case, considerable clinical uncertainties about the degree to which a hospital-acquired infection contributes to death, especially in very ill patients with a number of concurrent conditions, and there can also be uncertainty about the source of infections which cause or contribute to death. The Scottish Executive and NHSScotland are committed to reducing the incidence of HAI in Scottish hospitals. Preventing and controlling HAI is an important part of the responsibilities of every NHS Trust.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what VAT implications there will be for the cost of improving homes following the proposed Glasgow housing stock transfer.

Ms Margaret Curran: VAT implications will depend on the specific details of the transfer proposal.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £13 million earmarked for Glasgow City Council in connection with the development of its stock transfer proposal has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date.

Ms Margaret Curran: By the end of the last financial year £8.4 million had been allocated to the Glasgow stock transfer initiative and £6.9 million of that had been drawn down by Glasgow City Council.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that information given to council tenants in Glasgow with regard to the stock transfer proposals is accurate.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive’s Guidance for Local Authorities on Housing Transfer to Community Ownership sets down procedures that local authorities are expected to follow in carrying out their statutory responsibilities in respect of consultation with tenants on any transfer proposal.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that Neighbourhood Forums established to consult on Glasgow stock transfer proposals consult with tenant associations and that those tenant associations relay information to and from their own tenants.

Ms Margaret Curran: Neighbourhood Forums were established by Glasgow City Council. The activities and procedures of these organisations is a matter for the council.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to accommodate the recommendation in the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee’s 3rd Report 2000 Housing Stock Transfer that a multi-agency task force be establish for each stock transfer proposal with a specific remit to ensure that maximisation of local labour is a key determinant in the awarding of contracts.

Ms Margaret Curran: This is a matter for the parties involved in developing transfer proposals. A multi-agency Housing and Employment Working Group operating at an all-Scotland level is identifying the mechanisms required to maximise employment opportunities and inclusion benefits from future housing investment.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any residual debt resulting from housing stock transfer in Glasgow will (a) be removed from Glasgow City Council (GCC) and taken on by the Executive as outlined in Glasgow Housing Association’s January newsletter which states "the Scottish Executive has agreed to remove the debt from GCC tenants and transfer it to tax payers across Scotland if tenants vote in favour of stock transfer" or (b) remain with GCC and be serviced by the Executive as outlined in the answer to question S1W-13378 by Ms Margaret Curran on 28 February 2001 which states "the cost of servicing the remaining (i.e. residual) debt would also be met by resources provided by the Scottish Executive" and what steps will it take to ensure that tenants are advised of the correct situation.

Ms Margaret Curran: The arrangements are as set out in my answer to question S1W-13378. It is for Glasgow City Council in undertaking statutory consultation with tenants prior to any transfer to consider what further information in relation to this issue should be provided.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why no long-term detailed investment plans on Glasgow’s housing stock transfer proposals will be available until January 2002, after the proposed date of the stock transfer ballot.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive’s Guidance for Local Authorities on Housing Transfer to Community Ownership makes it clear what information should be made available to tenants during the statutory consultation process leading up to any ballot on a transfer proposal.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13378 by Ms Margaret Curran on 28 February 2001, what guarantee it can provide that the costs of servicing any residual debt following Glasgow housing stock transfer will be met indefinitely by resources provided by the Scottish Executive indefinitely.

Ms Margaret Curran: The arrangements will take account of Glasgow’s existing loan portfolio and will be discussed with Glasgow City Council as part of the appraisal of the transfer proposal.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest figure is for the cost of improving Glasgow City Council’s housing stock following the proposed stock transfer.

Ms Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15312 on 9 May 2001.

Legal Aid

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it discussed its proposals to freeze the Legal Aid Fund for the next three years with the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) prior to publishing its budget proposals and, if so, what SLAB’s response was.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Legal Aid Fund is not cash limited and therefore Scottish Ministers are required to provide whatever monies are necessary to meet the legal aid granted by the Scottish Legal Aid Board. There is therefore no question of a freeze on legal aid.

Multiple Sclerosis

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15122 by Susan Deacon on 26 April 2001, why the information specified on people requiring prescription of beta interferon is not available centrally and whether it plans to hold this information centrally.

Susan Deacon: There are no plans to do so. Only certain patients with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are likely to benefit from the use of beta interferon and patients’ eligibility for this treatment depends on the clinical judgment of the clinicians concerned. Clinical decisions regarding the treatment of individual patients are not available centrally.

New Deal

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether New Deal participants are finding real and sustained employment.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The latest figures show that 29,000 young and adult unemployed people in Scotland have now left New Deal for sustained employment.

Osteoporosis

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a screening programme for those most at risk from osteoporosis.

Susan Deacon: The Executive takes the advice of the National Screening Committee (NSC), an expert advisory body to all the UK Health Departments, on screening matters. The NSC has advised that the present means of testing are not sufficiently sensitive to justify a screening programme for osteoporosis at present. They will, however, review the situation regularly to take account of any improvements in testing procedures.

Planning

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it reviews the planning implications in Scotland of UK-wide infrastructure initiatives and policy changes in airport, dock, rail and road services, power generation and transmission and oil and gas exploration and licensing and how it ensures local community participation and parliamentary accountability in re-formulating policy in these areas.

Lewis Macdonald: The Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and the devolved administrations, together with the supporting Concordats between the Scottish Executive and Whitehall Departments, provide for communication and consultation between the Executive and the UK Government on all issues where actions taken by one administration may have a bearing on the responsibilities of the other. This would enable the Executive to consider the planning implications for Scotland of any proposals for UK-wide infrastructure initiatives and policy changes. The implications can be brought to the attention of the Scottish Parliament as necessary and its views can be taken into account before the Executive makes its input to policy formulation. Public consultation may be conducted on a UK basis or separately in Scotland by the Executive as appropriate.

Procurator Fiscal’s Office

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases were prepared by each procurator fiscal’s office under the 110-day rule in each of the last five years.

Neil Davidson QC: The information requested is not available.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consultees whom the developer of a shore-based wave energy power station has to consult before construction of the station can commence and when such consultation should take place.

Rhona Brankin: As a matter of best practice, we advise developers to speak with the relevant planning authority, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency before submitting an application under section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act. These are the statutory consultees defined by the Act, although the views of other interested bodies are also sought. Experience with previous renewable energy projects shows that most developers undertake extensive discussions and briefings for local residents prior to submitting their actual applications.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consents necessary for the construction of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed and the authorities to whom each application for such consents must be submitted, what average time is taken to issue each consent and what the current level is of any consent application fee.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consents necessary for the installation of a floating offshore wave energy power station moored to the seabed, the authorities to whom each application for such consents must be submitted, what average time is taken to issue each consent and what the current level is of any application fee.

Rhona Brankin: The consents required for an offshore wind or water driven generating station are as follows:

  Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 (consent under section 36 is only required if installed generating capacity is in excess of 50 megawatts, with an application fee of between £5,000 and £20,000 depending on size);

  Section 5 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, and

  Section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949.

  Applications for these consents must be made to the Scottish Ministers via the relevant departments. In addition, an application to the Crown Estate is required for the lease on an offshore site, and the Crown Estate will consider granting a lease only when, amongst other things, it is satisfied that the developer has obtained all the necessary statutory consents.

  There is no maximum time taken to issue such consents, although the relevant departments would always aim to process these as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consultees whom the developer of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed has to consult before construction of the station can commence and when such consultation should take place.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the statutory consultees which the developer of a floating offshore wave energy power station moored to the seabed has to consult before mooring the station on site and when such consultation should take place.

Rhona Brankin: As a matter of best practice, we advise developers to speak with the relevant planning authority, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency before submitting an application under section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act. These are the statutory consultees defined by the Act, although the views of other interested bodies are also sought. Experience with previous renewable energy projects shows that most developers undertake extensive discussions and briefings for local residents prior to submitting their actual applications.

  Developers seeking to construct an offshore station of any description will also require a site lease, and should approach the Crown Estate to discuss this.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of an offshore wave energy power station and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of a floating offshore wave energy power station moored to the seabed and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all regulatory authorities involved in the design and construction of an offshore wave energy power station founded on the seabed and the regulations which each authority is responsible for applying.

Rhona Brankin: The design and construction of any power station are matters for the developer, subject to the necessary consents being obtained. Statutory consultees, such as Scottish Natural Heritage or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, may agree to such projects subject to certain conditions being contained within the final consents.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many developers have applied to it or any of its agencies or public bodies for consents to construct wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters since 1990 and whether it will list each application and the current status of each.

Rhona Brankin: Scotland’s only existing wave energy power station is Wavegen’s LIMPET (Land Installed Marine Power Energy Transformer) built on the shoreline at Islay, which began generating late last year. The station secured planning consent from the local authority before construction commenced.

  The same company also developed an offshore device which it planned to install off the coast at Dounreay. The device, called OSPREY (Ocean Swell Powered Renewable Energy) was destroyed by bad weather in August 1995 before it could be properly installed. Prior to the aborted installation, the company had applied for and received consent under the Coast Protection Act 1949, and under section 5 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken or has any plans to undertake a review of the regulations and consents governing the construction of wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters, with a view to streamlining the process and making it more open and accountable.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the statutory, regulatory and financial requirements with which developers of wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters must comply and whether it has developed or plans to develop any strategy to reduce any barriers to such development which it has identified.

Rhona Brankin: We published a consultation paper in February this year seeking views on our proposals to streamline the consents procedures for offshore wind or water driven generating stations in Scottish waters. Our intention is to rationalise and simplify the existing process, whilst ensuring that such schemes remain subject to rigorous technical and environmental scrutiny. The consultation closed in March, and we are currently considering the responses received.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the statutory and regulatory requirements with which developers of wave energy power stations in other countries must comply and whether it has any plans to incorporate any best practices which it has identified.

Rhona Brankin: No.

Renewable Energy

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in each of the last two years to encourage the development of wave energy power stations on the Scottish coast or in Scottish territorial waters.

Rhona Brankin: We are aware of the excellent work being carried out by Scottish companies in this field, and applaud the progress made thus far, which is due in part to the unique support offered to wave power in Scotland under the third round of the Scottish Renewables Obligation. We will continue to maintain a dialogue with the key players as we consider appropriate ways in which to help further the industry in Scotland.

Renewable Energy

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14726 by Rhona Brankin on 17 April 2001, what action it (a) has taken and (b) intends to take to support and encourage the use and introduction of solar heating.

Rhona Brankin: Working within a UK framework with the Carbon Trust and the DTI, the Executive will continue to encourage research and development into a range of low carbon technologies, including solar heating, and, where these technologies are demonstrated to be technically feasible and to have the potential to be cost-effective, we will seek to stimulate their deployment.

Rural Development

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider the use of Article 33 of the Rural Development Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund as a means of encouraging diversification in rural economies such as Dumfries and Galloway.

Ross Finnie: I am currently exploring whether any part of the Rural Development Regulation, not just Article 33, could assist with the recovery of rural economies such as Dumfries and Galloway. The funding available is constrained, but I intend to launch soon new schemes to help farming families to generate new forms of income, and to support the processing and marketing of agricultural products. Elements of both schemes fall within the scope of Article 33 of the EU Rural Development Regulation.

Schools

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in tackling truancy and indiscipline in schools.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Discipline Task Group is looking at current initiatives and will make recommendations in June on how present policies can be improved, and what else we can do to combat disruptive behaviour in schools.

  Earlier this month I announced jointly with the Ministry of Defence the launch of a Scottish pilot under the Skill Force Initiative, which is aimed at reducing truancy and exclusion in schools.

  I announced in February that the Scottish Executive will continue to offer financial support to secure the operation of the Childline Anti-Bullying Helpline and I am also considering future funding of the Anti-bullying Network. I expect to make an announcement on this shortly.

Schools

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it made available for (a) new school building and (b) major school building repairs and improvements in (i) Renfrewshire and (ii) Inverclyde, in each of the last two years.

Mr Jack McConnell: Work on school buildings is funded mainly by the local authorities themselves and the Scottish Executive does not generally make money available directly to authorities for that purpose. The level of capital expenditure by local authorities is subject to broad annual limits which is expressed as an annual allocation of consent to incur capital expenditure on their non-housing capital programmes, including education. The consent is distributed amongst authorities on the basis of a formula agreed with COSLA, and is neither programme nor project specific. Within that framework, it is for Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils to determine their detailed expenditure priorities for school building.

  For the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01, the net formula allocations of capital consent were £7.075 million and £8.086 million for Renfrewshire and £5.565 million and £6.216 million for Inverclyde, and both will have allocated, and spent, sums from that consent on schools.

  Authorities are given some resources by direct capital grant through a separate arrangement under the New Deal for Schools. These resources are intended to assist authorities to tackle the backlog of repairs to school buildings and improve facilities for ICT. Grant of £0.923 million was paid to Renfrewshire and of £0.529 million to Inverclyde in each of the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

  Following an announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his pre-budget statement in November 2000, further grant of £536,745 was paid to Renfrewshire and £288,805 to Inverclyde in 2000-01 to deal with immediate repairs, maintenance and equipment problems in schools.

Scottish Executive Consultation

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15055 by Peter Peacock on 26 April 2001, when copies of its Consultation on the draft Local Government (Timing of Elections) (Scotland) Bill were issued to local authorities.

Peter Peacock: Copies of this consultation were issued by e-mail to all local authorities on 30 March. A number of authorities indicated that, because of technical problems, these were not received on that date but all have confirmed that the documents were received by mid-April. These authorities have been offered an extension to the final date for replies.

Scottish Executive Consultation

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals, and which bodies, have responded to its consultation paper Strategic Priorities for Scotland’s Passenger Railway , published in December 2000.

Sarah Boyack: A total of 238 responses to the consultation were received, and all have been placed in the Scottish Executive library. The table shows the number of responses from different categories of respondent.

  


Private Individuals 
  

98 
  



Representative Organisations 
  

43 
  



Local Authorities 
  

23 
  



Railway Campaign Groups 
  

15 
  



Community Councils 
  

10 
  



MSPs 
  

10 
  



Railway Industry 
  

7 
  



Councillors 
  

6 
  



Railway Unions 
  

4 
  



Consultants 
  

4 
  



Railway Organisations 
  

4 
  



Scottish Enterprise Companies 
  

4 
  



Other Transport Industry 
  

3 
  



Scottish Chambers of Commerce 
  

3 
  



Environmental Organisations 
  

2 
  



Freight Facilities Grant Applicants 
  

1 
  



MPs 
  

1 
  



Press 
  

1 
  



TOTAL 
  

238

Scottish Executive Contracts

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has hired any market research firms to carry out any surveys or research relating to education issues within the last six months and, if so, which firms were hired and what the value was of each contract.

Mr Jack McConnell: We have commissioned one survey from a market research company over the last six months. This was the survey of school and FE staff views on the first year of the implementation of Higher Still. The final agreed completion date was 12 February 2001 with a total cost of £46,706.25. The company carrying out the survey was System Three Social Research.

Scottish Executive Contracts

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail all projects relating to IT which will be put out to tender by its core departments, agencies and associated departments and any other public body within its responsibility in (a) May 2001, (b) June 2001, (c) July 2001, (d) August 2001, (e) September 2001 and (f) October 2001.

Angus MacKay: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. European law requires that public contracts for goods and services exceeding given thresholds (currently £93,896 for central government and £144,456 for most other public bodies) are advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities .

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of publishing and launching its Changing for the future: Social work services for the 21st Century document, including both the local and overview reports.

Mr Jack McConnell: The cost of publishing and launching the report was £32,000.

Scottish Legal Aid Board

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in each salary band left the Scottish Legal Aid Board in each of the last five years and what each of these figures represents as a percentage of the total number of posts in the board in each salary band in each year.

Mr Jim Wallace: The figures are shown in the following table and exclude temporary staff.

  


 


1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  



Salary Band 
  

No. of leavers 
  

% of no of posts in band 
  

No. of leavers 
  

% of no of posts in band 
  

No. of leavers 
  

% of no of posts in band 
  

No. of leavers 
  

% of no of posts in band 
  

No. of leavers 
  

% of no of posts in band 
  



1 
  

26 
  

33 
  

27 
  

34 
  

24 
  

32 
  

25 
  

29 
  

23 
  

31 
  



2 
  

5 
  

4 
  

19 
  

16 
  

23 
  

20 
  

24 
  

21 
  

23 
  

17 
  



3 
  

5 
  

11 
  

3 
  

7 
  

6 
  

16 
  

4 
  

9 
  

4 
  

11 
  



4 
  

3 
  

33 
  

1 
  

8 
  

3 
  

21 
  

2 
  

13 
  

1 
  

3 
  



5 
  

1 
  

8 
  

0 
  

0 
  

2 
  

17 
  

1 
  

9 
  

1 
  

8 
  



6 
  

2 
  

11 
  

0 
  

0 
  

6 
  

32 
  

0 
  

0 
  

2 
  

7 
  



7 
  

1 
  

14 
  

1 
  

17 
  

2 
  

33 
  

2 
  

50 
  

0 
  

0 
  



8 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Total leavers 
  

43 
  

14 
  

51 
  

18 
  

67 
  

24 
  

58 
  

20 
  

54 
  

17

Scottish Legal Aid Board

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s salary structure, for both staff and board members, indicating what the various salary bands are and how many people receive salaries in each band.

Mr Jim Wallace: The figures are shown in the table.

  


Grade 
  

Salary Band 
  

No of posts in each band as at 31 March 
  2001 
  



1 
  

£8,755 - £12,300 
  

74 
  



2 
  

£10,815 - £15,375 
  

135 
  



3 
  

£12,670 - £19,960 
  

36 
  



4 
  

£15,760 - £24,165 
  

32 
  



5 
  

£18,910 - £28,365 
  

13 
  



6 
  

£23,115 - £42,025 
  

28 
  



7 
  

£36,770 - £52,530 
  

4 
  



8 
  

£74,200 
  

1 
  



Board members 
  

£7,409 for 24.5 hours per month 
  

10+1 unpaid 
  



Chairman 
  

£25,123 for 56 hours per month 
  

1

Skye Bridge

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8375 by Sarah Boyack on 13 July 2000, whether the investigation into the cost and practical implications of ending the date-stamping on books of discount tickets for the Skye Bridge has been concluded and, if so, whether it will announce its decision on the ending of date-stamping.

Sarah Boyack: In response to representations from MSPs, Highland Council and others last year, I asked officials to explore the possibility of ending date stamping of books of discount vouchers for Skye Bridge. Following discussions, the Concessionaire, Skye Bridge Limited, have made it clear that they are not willing to change the present arrangements. The discount vouchers already offer generous benefits to frequent users of the bridge, most of whom are local people, but I will discuss this matter further with the company later this year.

Sport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is undertaking with local authorities to ensure that the national athletics teams have adequate year-round training facilities in Scotland.

Allan Wilson: Sportscotland has ongoing dialogue with local authorities and with the Scottish Athletics Federation about the provision of adequate national facilities for athletics.

Sport

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance the Scottish Ten Pin Bowling Association has received from  sportscotland.

Allan Wilson: Apart from an unsuccessful lottery application to send two teams to an international competition in November 1999,  sportscotland has received no request for assistance from the Scottish Ten Pin Bowling Association.

Tourism

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement a system of direct funding for area tourist boards.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: This matter is kept under constant review, although we have no plans at present to implement a direct system of funding. However, I endorsed the recommendation in last years management review of the STB that we should move toward a "de facto network" involving the Area Tourist Boards and VisitScotland. As part of the recently announced eight point plan for Scottish tourism, VisitScotland will engage with all Area Tourist Boards to begin implementation of the action plan to establish the integrated VisitScotland local area network. I anticipate that these reforms will bring the benefits of a more integrated network, while maintaining the benefits of local authority involvement and funding.

Tourism

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve tourist facilities throughout Scotland.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: A New Strategy for Scottish Tourism,  published in February 2000, contains a range of actions designed to improve the tourism product in Scotland. A review of the strategy actions will be undertaken over the next few months.

Tourism

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific steps have been taken to encourage more tourists from (a) England and (b) Wales to visit Scotland.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: VisitScotland has recently launched its biggest ever spring campaign and will be able to provide the detailed information requested.

Warm Deal

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for each type of work for which assistance is available under the Warm Deal have been made to Energy Action Grants Agency Ltd. (EAGA); how many such applications have been successful, broken down by local authority in each case, and what the average grant awarded by EAGA is for each local authority area.

Jackie Baillie: Applications for the Warm Deal are not made on the basis of individual insulation measures. They are made for the package of measures. Eaga does not record information on the average grant in each local authority area. In 2000-01, over 27,200 homes were insulated and the average grant was £324.

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what evidence the statement by the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development during the Members’ Business debate on Scottish Whisky (Water Framework Directive) on 2 May 2001 that "SEPA advises that over-abstraction by industry and agriculture causes environmental problems in some parts of Scotland at certain times of the year" ( Official Report , col. 317) was based and in which parts of Scotland this over-abstraction has occurred.

Rhona Brankin: The statement was based on advice from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. An assessment of the environmental effects of water abstractions by industry and agriculture is set out in the agency’s State of the Environment report, Improving Scotland’s Water Environment , which was published in 1999. A copy is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 2964).

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring there has been of water abstraction levels throughout Scotland since 1997.

Rhona Brankin: There is no comprehensive monitoring of water abstraction levels in Scotland at present. We will be required to introduce such a system in order to implement the EC Water Framework Directive. However, there is already some monitoring as follows:

  the Scottish Environment Protection Agency monitors river flows and abstraction levels in certain areas for example where there is particular pressure from abstraction for aquaculture or irrigation;

  information on amounts of water supplied for public use is collected from the water authorities by the Scottish Executive. Details may be found in the Executive’s annual report on water resources, copies of which are available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no.’s 13378, 13380 and 13372), and

  any licensed hydro-electricity generator granted an Acquisition of Water Rights Order under the Electricity Act 1989 is responsible for monitoring the level of water diverted through its generating system.

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what evidence it intends to base its policy on the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and its impact on the whisky industry.

Rhona Brankin: We will base our policy for the implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive on, amongst other things, an assessment of the impacts of human activities on the water environment and of the economic and social impact of any controls.

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will play in connection with its proposed consultation on the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and its impact on the whisky industry.

Rhona Brankin: We will seek the views of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on our proposals for the implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive as part of the consultation process.

Water Authorities

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14758 by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001, why there is no estimate for any loss of income to the proposed single water authority should water prices charged by the North of Scotland Water Authority be brought into line with those charged by the East and West of Scotland Water Authorities when this goal is specifically mentioned in paragraph 1.14 of The Water Services Bill – The Executive’s Proposals  as a reason for creating a single authority.

Ross Finnie: The passage referred to makes clear that the move to a single authority will allow charge harmonisation. At what level those charges will be harmonised will not be established until the strategic charges review has been carried out. Thus, as indicated in my earlier answer, no estimate has been made of the impact of bringing the current North of Scotland Water Authority charges into line with current charges in the other areas.

Water Charges

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households currently qualify for the scheme to help lower income households pay their water and sewerage charges and what the estimated cost of the scheme is for each of the next three years, broken down by local authority.

Ross Finnie: We anticipate that approximately 180,000 households will qualify in this first year of the scheme.

  £24,000,000 is available to fund the reduction scheme over three years from April 2001 including the cost of implementation and administration of the scheme. It is not possible, at this stage, to break down spending by local authority.

Water Charges

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of respondents to its consultation paper, Affordability of Water and Sewerage Charges , suggested alternative or amended schemes.

Ross Finnie: 22 submissions representing 45% of respondents to the Executive consultation paper on affordability of water and sewerage charges suggested alternative or amended schemes. Of these respondents only a small number suggested any practical details as to how those alternatives could work and many involved expenditure considerably in excess of the funds available.

  Within the considerable legal and financial constraints, the Executive responded to these suggestions as far as was possible. Full details are set out in the affordability consultation report that is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 13187), the Executive Library and on the Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/environment/conreport3.pdf.

Water Charges

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any changes it made to its original proposals following its consultation paper, Affordability of Water and Sewerage Charges .

Ross Finnie: The affordability consultation report details changes made to the Executive’s original proposals to address the affordability of water and sewerage charges. This report may be obtained from the Parliament Reference Centre, the Executive Library and the Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/environment/conreport3.pdf.

  The main provisions of the scheme are set out in the Domestic Water and Sewerage Charges (Reduction) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 and supporting guidance which is held by the Parliament Reference Centre (Bib. no. 13187).

Water Charges

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations about withdrawing reliefs on water and sewerage charges from charitable and voluntary bodies.

Ross Finnie: Jackie Baillie and I met representatives of the SCVO on 10 May. Following that discussion, we have responded positively to concerns that were expressed and decided that the phased withdrawal planned to start this year will be delayed. Instead it will begin with effect from 1 April 2002, at which point the value of individual reliefs will be reduced by 40%, with the remainder being progressively phased out by April 2005. This will provide all water authority customers affected by the original decision, including a range of charitable and voluntary bodies, with an extra year in which to plan to meet the costs arising from phased withdrawal and to enable free meters to be installed.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what evidence the briefing by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to MSPs on 1 May 2001 that there is "anecdotal evidence" which suggests that 20% of whisky distilleries have a negative impact on the environment was based, who produced such evidence and which distilleries were involved.

Rhona Brankin: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliament Travel

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Presiding Officer whether he will provide details of the occasions since May 1999 when he or other Members of the Scottish Parliament have represented the Parliament on overseas visits, stating for each visit what the cost involved was, who or what body met the cost, who the participant members were, and what steps have been taken or will be taken to report back to the Parliament on the purpose and achievements of all such visits.

Sir David Steel: Details of overseas visits since May 1999 by the Presiding Officer or Deputy Presiding Officers representing the Parliament, and members and parliamentary staff accompanying them, are set out in the attached table.

  Members of the Parliament other than the Presiding Officer or Deputy Presiding Officers do not represent the Parliament and details of any overseas visits made by other members, for example on committee or Commonwealth Parliamentary Association business, are not listed in the table.

  The table indicates where costs associated with the travel and accommodation for the visits listed have been met by outside organisations. The Corporate Body does not have details of these costs.

  It has become normal practice for a report of each overseas visit by the Presiding Officer or a Deputy Presiding Officer representing the Parliament to be made to the Parliamentary Bureau. A site is being established on SPEIR on which reports of visits will be made available.

  


Travel Overseas by the Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding 
  Officers Representing the Scottish Parliament 
  



Dates 
  

Description 
  

Participating Members 
  

Approx. costs to the SPCB of travel and 
  accommodation (including costs of any accompanying SPCB 
  staff) 
  



22.07.99 to 23.07.99 
  

SPCB visit to Flemish Parliament, Brussels, and to Dutch 
  Parliament, The Hague 
  

Presiding Officer
SPCB Members
+ 3 staff 
  

£5,400 
  



05.10.99 to 07.10.99 
  

International Conference on Federalism, Canada 
  

George Reid MSP
+ 1 staff 
  

£4,000 
  



11.10.99 to 13.10.99 
  

Scotland Week, Brussels 
  

George Reid MSP
 European Committee Members
+ 2 staff 
  

£3,000 
  



02.12.99 to 03.12.99 
  

Assembly of European Regions, Lyons 
  

George Reid MSP 
  

£1,000 
  



03.01.00 to 06.01.00 
  

15th Conference of Commonwealth Speakers, Australia 
  

Presiding Officer
+ 1 staff 
  

£10,000

Accommodation costs met by Australian Parliament 
  



05.04.00 to 09.04.00 
  

Tartan Day Celebrations, Washington 
  

Patricia Ferguson MSP
George Reid MSP 
  

£9,000 
  



03.07.00 to 05.07.00 
  

Millennium celebrations and presentation to Icelandic Parliament,
Iceland 
  

Presiding Officer
+ 1 staff 
  

£1,450

Accommodation costs met by Icelandic Parliament 
  



08.10.00 to 10.10.00 
  

British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body Plenary Meeting, 
  Galway, Ireland 
  

Patricia Ferguson MSP
Cathie Craigie MSP
Margaret Ewing MSP
David McLetchie MSP
Iain Smith MSP
+ 2 staff 
  

£2,750

Accommodation costs met by the BIIPB 
  



30.10.00 to 01. 11.00 
  

Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Regions 
  of Europe, Santiago de Compostela, Spain 
  

Presiding Officer
+ 2 staff 
  

£3,000 
  



07.11.00 to 09.11.00 
  

Delegation to Saschen-Anhalt Parliament,
Germany 
  

Patricia Ferguson MSP
Annabel Goldie MSP
Duncan McNeil MSP 
Iain Smith MSP 
Sandra White MSP
+ 2 staff 
  

£5,000

Accommodation costs met by the Parliament 
  of Saschen-Anhalt 
  



21.11.00 to 22.11.00 
  

Delegation to the Dail,
Ireland 
  

Presiding Officer
Cathie Craigie MSP
Margaret Ewing MSP
David McLetchie MSP
Iain Smith MSP
+ 2 staff 
  

£1,100

Accommodation costs met by the Dail 
  



07.12.00 to 09.12.00 
  

AER Annual Conference, Seinajoki, Finland 
  

George Reid MSP
+ 1 staff 
  

£1,750 
  



22.01.01 to 23.01.01 
  

British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body Steering Committee 
  Meeting, Dublin 
  

Patricia Ferguson MSP
+ 1 staff 
  

£550

Accommodation costs met by the BIIPB 
  



25.01.01 to 27.01.01


Visit to Hungarian Parliament and other engagements in 
  Budapest 
  

Presiding Officer
+ 1 staff 
  

£2,000

Accommodation provided by the British Embassy 
  



25.02.01 to 28.02.01 
  

British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body Plenary Meeting
Killarney, Ireland 
  

Patricia Ferguson MSP
Cathie Craigie MSP
Margaret Ewing MSP
Annabel Goldie MSP
Iain Smith MSP
+ 1 staff 
  

£2,400

Accommodation costs met by the BIIPB 
  



19.03.01 to 21.03 01 
  

European Parliament Familiarisation visit to Brussels 
  

George Reid MSP
Kenneth Gibson MSP
Gordon Jackson MSP
Alex Johnstone MSP
Andy Kerr MSP
John McAllion MSP
Pauline McNeill MSP
Kenny MacAskill MSP
Alex Neil MSP
Cathy Peattie MSP
Margaret Smith MSP
Kay Ullrich MSP
Mike Watson MSP
Andrew Welsh MSP
+ 4 staff 
  

£3,500

Some travel and accommodation costs met by 
  the European Parliament 
  



02.04.01 to 08.04.01 
  

Tartan Day Celebrations Washington 
  

Patricia Ferguson MSP
Bill Aitken MSP
Marilyn Livingstone MSP 
Nora Radcliffe MSP
Kay Ullrich MSP
+ 3 staff 
  

£20,000